Overcast whites create calm in the living room. The vintage shutters are from fabulousvintagefinds.co.uk. The mid-century chair was a moving-in gift from the previous owners. The Arkana side table was from an antiques fair; try ebay.co.uk. The faux sheepskin on the sofa is from ikea.com.
Photograph: Penny Wincer

‘I grew up in east London in a house that was all Artex walls, swirly carpets and knick-knacks as far as the eye could see,” says Smita Patel. “My mum saw every surface as an opportunity to cram in colour and ornaments.” Patel’s own home is quite the reverse. “My off-white walls and natural textures are in part a reaction to that sensory overload; they are very calming. I have a pretty full-on job making radio documentaries, so coming home needs to feel restful and simple. This is a space to unwind.”

Her two-bedroom house in Peckham, south-east London, is an exercise in stripping back and editing, but “it’s about refining, rather than losing character,” she says. “When you get rid of clutter, you can appreciate the details.” Renting a room for 10 years before buying this house made her adept at paring back, and she still maintains a strict door policy. “When I buy something, I have to really, really love it. I never think, ‘Oh, that’s nice, I’ll find a place for it somewhere.’”

Admittedly, there are no children to scatter plastic detritus or scrape scooters along the woodwork, but at the weekends this house buzzes with family, friends and their offspring. “It’s a very sociable, lived-in house,” says Patel. Even her mum has come round to the idea. “She used to call my style ‘the nunnery’, but she recently redecorated her place – with off-white walls and wooden floors.” And her knick-knacks? “Oh, they still have pride of place.”

The dining room table is from
trouverantiques.co.uk, made from an old French door on an industrial base. Find Fritz Hansen’s Series 7 chair at
skandium.com. The Kartell Fly pendant (
heals.com) was a 40th birthday present. The ceramics are by Tomoko Abu. In the alcove is a vintage French food cover. ‘I was going to turn it into a light, but it’s interesting as it is,’ says Patel. Photograph: Penny Wincer